I remember reading this in another class but have no idea what class it was for but definitely a writing arts course. . I really enjoyed reading this article because it reminds me of our world today and my life personally. I come from a family who is German and Italian. This reading took me back to when I went to visit family there about five years ago and did not know how to speak their language. I knew how to speak okay in both but not fluently but could understand pretty well. It was hard to express what I wanted without knowing their language. However when my family from Germany and Italy came to the United States they were having some problems with our language. My cousins from Germany just came in the summer and they study English at home, its mandatory in their school. They could have gotten around here on their own pretty well. The only difference I personally see is when I go to Italy or Germany they don’t expect me to speak their language but when they come to the United States, people are more rude and have the attitude of “Your in America speak English” I can understand but it is so difficult for us to understands other when they can hardly speak English but at the same time other countries are taking English classes to learn our language. This is a debate in it’s self with our world.
This story focused on the different dialects of Spanish, cutlutre, I really enjoyed the part when she says “Until she takes pride in her language , I cannot take pride in myself.” Her life she was told her language was wrong. I enjoyed that she wrote this story in both English and Spanish because that who she is and her culture. Why should she do any different if that’s who she is and a part of her? I believe it added more style and gave more of meaning to her writing than simply writing it in English. Everyday cultures clash and there are debates but we are our own identity and if someone told me I couldn’t speak English, I would have to argue because that’s a part of who I am and my culture.
I knew coming into these readings for this week I would enjoy them because of the author. Her writing is different and you can get the sense of tone and language through her descriptive and detailed writing. First let’s discuss borderlands, I thought it was a nice read and was interesting. Here she is talking about Mexicans at work and how they can be treated. She mentions a part in how they were working and wanted to take some time off on Sunday to pray, rest, and write letters to their families. The boss rudely just spit and said they would have to take half their pay. I think of how we live and out work in today’s world. I feel that some people in our world don’t give credit to the people who really do work hard and treat others like crap. I can't imagine being treated like that or imagine treating someone like that. I also can't imagine not having my Sunday's off because those days are very important to me. Sunday is when I spend my time with my family, eating, talking, catching up with them and things I need to do for the week, and to take some time having some kind of sanity in my life. I just feel that people these days don't appreciate or respect others as they should be treated and its a shame. I couldnt imagine treating someone with disresect or rudely.
An encounter is a collection from James Joyce short stories. While I was reading this collection I thought confused, disturbed, and just awkward in some of the things that were going on throuight the story. the story takes place in Dublin, Ireland. The reading starts off disucssing religion, culture, and their environment which is a key element in why the characters act the way they do. The story used descriptive words that hekp you understnad who the characters are and what kind of lifestyle they live in. Joyce mentions them "shabbily dressed" which seemed that they are in a lower economic living area.
The two boys decide to go on an adventure which ends up meeting this weird strange man. The man was talking to them inappropiate things such as girls and whipping boys. I felt it was kind of strange and that I like how the boys gave the man fake names because he was a stranger. It reminds me of how I am, I don't know the person I will give a random name because you can't trust anybody nowadays. I enjoyed the part of their adventure into the fields because it reminded me of my chidlhood of going on adventures and me always be cautious of what is going on. At first I thought the boys were going to get into some trouble when it began mentioning the man and how he was wlaking towards them with a stick. It made me feel that this was going in a bad direction. I didn't mind reading this story, at first I didn't think it would keep me interested but I finsihed it and actually enjoyed it.
Odantje
After reading Odantje, was confusing to me. I didn’t understand fully what the reading was about. While reading this I liked the many descriptions used throughout the article. I’m not one to enjoy something if I don’t clearly understand what is being said. So this article I didn’t enjoy the content because it was confusing but did enjoy some parts of the piece of writing.
One question that would maybe clear up some of my confusion was who was telling this story because the way this person is writing and some of the content of the writing makes me believe its someone close to Sallie. How the narrator describes Sallie in the beginning when clothesless. This part made me feel that the narrator was close or at least involved personally. Even though I didn’t understand the article, I enjoyed it due to the descriptions and how the story was written.
Gopnik
After reading, Paris to the Moon, I thought of my two close friends because their going to Paris and I really want to go. Gopnik used great descriptions throughout his writing. I feel that this story is about being a different places and exploring. While reading this it reminded me of my trip to Germany and Italy to visit family. I went with my brother, sister, aunt, and grandparents. My grandparents have been there so many times and from there so they pretty much said locally while my sister and I explored all over. I went too many different places in Italy, which I love and can’t wait to go back. There were so many things to see, wonderful food to eat, and their way of life.
The line that made me think more deeply about was, “It is hard for me to imagine Luke ever doing this: sitting up there, skewering his rings.” I feel that Luke won’t be able to experience the same things as his father did because of different generations. He will still be able to go to the country and visit but not see what his father saw when he went. The European and American culture are completely different and when visiting you will have to understand that and adapt to their way of living and going about things. I love the European culture. I enjoyed reading this however it was dragging a bit on parts.
We were asked to read Pagnucci and Berry this week and post a blog on it. First I read Pagnucci and then I read Berry.
After opening up these readings I was too happy due to the length of them. I’m not a big fan of reading especially academically readings. Sometimes I just don’t get it or completely bored by it. However after reading Pagnucci’s, Narrative Life, I enjoyed because I could connect to things in my life to the story. Pagnucci talked about childhood and memories which made me think back to my childhood and how I wish at times I could go back to where life seemed much easier. Pagnucci mentions, “How narrative life is about embracing the stories that make us who we are.” I feel that certain events in my life whether good or bad have shaped who I am today and I feel that in my writing I reflect that. Almost all my writing is inspired by or written from my own life experiences. I never really enjoyed writing because I felt I wasn’t good or good enough as others. However, when I began writing academically in college I seemed to always go towards personal things in my life. In writer’s Mind I wrote a personal paper on genre’s that I did quite get or enjoy but I wrote it about my grandfather who recently passed away. When I began writing I felt a better connection to writing that I never felt before. I still am a little disconnected from writing but when it’s personal I love it.
This article reminded me to cherish those memories and to incorporate them into my writing. My life has been a roller coaster and I’ve gone through things that people will never go through but it makes me stronger. Some of the best writings I read are from personal real life situations. I really enjoyed reading this article by Pagnucci. If all the readings were like this, I defiantly would enjoy reading academically more often!
Berry
In the reading, A Native Hill, the author talks about their hometown and all the memories and impact this town made on them. I think of where I live and how I lived in this town, Washington Township all my life. I look back at all the memories I built here good or bad. This town defiantly had an impact on who I am today because of the way I brought up here and the people I grew up with. Berry mentions, “If I had been born five years later.” I catch myself wishing that. If only I had been born or could go back to a particular time or event in my life, would I do anything differently?
As I was reading this line stuck to me, “Too much that we do is done at the expense of something else, or somebody else.” I think back to decision I have made in my life and how the outcome could have been different or would have not affected someone else besides me. I feel that whatever we do in life or say can affect another person. I feel this in my everyday life because my parents our divorced. Anything I do will be at the expense of someone else. I can never do right because when I make my dad happy, I upset my mom and if I do good for my mom, I upset my dad. Whatever I do will be at an expense on either one and I’m the type of person that wants to make everyone happy before my self. I rather be down and upset then seeing someone else in that mood.
When I was first told I would be creating a twitter account for
intro to writing arts course I was very hesitant in it. First, I didn’t feel the need to be tweeting “I had eggs and a piece of toast this morning.” Why would anyone care what I am doing and frankly I don’t care what others are eating or doing as well. Secondly, I didn’t like the fact that anyone could go onto my page and follow me. I didn’t like being putting out there into the world to anyone due to the fact that I am a very cautious person. However, I gave it a try. At first it was very complicating and frustrating to me to figure out how to tweet to a particular person and what specific keys I need to type to make sure it when to that specific person and my main concern was what am I going to be tweeting about. I don’t want random stupid stuff that will have people be like “what the hell.” So I started to follower others and see what this twitter thing is all about. Even though I still had no understanding of what the purpose was of this was. Yet to my knowledge it was kind of interesting and not as complicated as I thought it would have been.
I found out one of the benefits I believe twitter to have is that ability to connect to others of the same kind of interest. For example, I love cooking and everything about cooking. So if I were to find someone with a twitter that was either a cook or had the same interest I could learn knew recipes or information about cooking. Twitter allows me to connect to various types of people. I never opened myself up to all this technology and media because I honestly don’t have the time and feel that what ever I write is probably not worth reading so why am going to put it out to waste others time as well as mine. I am still up in the
air with this twitter thing and hope to see if my perspective of this changes but only time will tell. Currently being in writing, research, and technology I hope to see how all this media and communication with technology can be beneficial to me or at least give me a better feeling about it.
So entering this class of writing, research, and technology I had no idea what blogging was to be honest with you and still am a little confused by it. I don't understand the reasoning for it and why I would blog random things for others to read or if anyone is reading what I am saying. I found that blogging was simply a person writing, posting pictures, or even videos about a particular subject . I personally feel that this was not beneficial to me at all and thought to myself who would read what I have to write. I also thought this going to be confusing and I'm not going to understand it at all. But then I showed up to class and the professor explained to the class how this is a great way to sell yourself. Its a great way to advertise yourslf to potential bosses. So after I heard that I thought this would be great to learn how to create and be a part of. I love the fact that I could include whatever I wanted to. My mind went into thinking of when I go on teaching interviews and how this could set me apart from other applicants. I am still trying to fully understand the purpose but could potentially see this a way of communicating that I enjoy to do. I hope by creating this and doing blogs I can understand what the big idea of this is about and if I would want to keep up with it. I guess after this semester is over, will see if I am still blogging!
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